Chapter 556 - 36: ’Heaven-Reaching Talisman’ Perfected

The third day of the ninth month.

It was an ordinary day. Chaos still reigned across the Zhongzhou Continent. The north was already growing cold, while the south remained as picturesque as spring.

Deep in the forest behind Qianmu Temple, a small celebratory dharma assembly was beginning in Shen Xiaozhu’s Dao Field. Since entering the sect, Shen Xiaozhu had been in secluded cultivation and hadn’t even taken a single disciple, so only her fellow disciples were in attendance.

Wang Ping did not attend this assembly. His cultivation had reached a critical point. Besides, his presence would have made the junior disciples uncomfortable.

Ten days after the assembly ended, Shen Xiaozhu quietly left the mountain gate with her Spirit Cat. She headed for the port in Shang’an Prefecture, planning to take a merchant ship south to visit Hu Mountain Country.

Wang Ping made no special arrangements for her. His current status was too conspicuous, and excessive arrangements would only draw unwanted attention.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

The weather in Nanlin Road suddenly took on a chill, and in Zhonghui County, the number of common folk seeking medical treatment increased daily.

This was because a new clinic had appeared in the county town at some point. Its prices were low, yet its medical skills were exceptionally high, and the doctor treated everyone equally.

The clinic had been there for a while, but it had recently changed owners. The new owner was Zhang Xinghuai, who had returned to the south.

With the help of Yu Cheng Taoist, he had acquired a new identity. He planned to practice medicine in Zhonghui County Town for twenty years as an outer disciple of Qianmu Temple. During this time, he would not meddle in any affairs or appear in the public eye.

Wang Ping had never paid him any mind, as his subconscious told him to stay away from Zhang Xinghuai for the time being.

In the time since Shen Xiaozhu left for her journey, Wang Ping had also stopped cultivating. He was about to directly face the magnificent Power of Heaven and Earth from the Heaven-Reaching Talisman, and excessive cultivation would only breed fear in his heart.

He chose to travel the lands as a common mortal, releasing the humanity and desires he had never experienced since he began cultivating. He visited all the famous mountains and rivers of the south, immersing himself in the culture of this world.

He even made a special trip to see the newly built city wall on the Houjiang Road border. Both inside and outside the wall, watchtower garrisons were stationed every ten li. The wetland where he and Ruan Chunzi had once rested had been replaced by a cold military outpost. The setting sun no longer held a refreshing beauty, but rather a sense of desolation and oppression, as if a great war was on the verge of breaking out.

One night before the Spring Festival, while Wang Ping was night fishing by a nameless stream in Ningzhou Road, he felt a force stirring within his Primordial Spirit, as if it were about to burst out.

"What’s wrong?"

Yu Lian, who had been playing in the stream, sensed Wang Ping’s emotional state and poked her small head out to ask.

Wang Ping brushed the dust off his clothes and gave Yu Lian a reassuring smile. He then took a pair of moon blocks from his robes and tossed them. A Holy Trigram. He tossed them again. Another Holy Trigram.

After six consecutive Holy Trigrams, Wang Ping looked at Yu Lian, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Stop messing around!"

Yu Lian emerged from the water and landed on Wang Ping’s shoulder. With her humanity recently unleashed, she was becoming more and more mischievous. This was precisely why one needed to cultivate, and also why one needed humanity; the balance was crucial. It was simple to say, but as difficult to achieve as ascending to the heavens.

Wang Ping reached out and stroked Yu Lian’s head. After calming her down, he reached into the void. A lightless darkness flashed past. This time, he directly used the power of the Luck-Borrowing Talisman, costing him over ten years of his lifespan.

When the moon blocks landed on the frosty ground, a stream of turquoise light appeared, finally revealing a Holy Trigram!

"See? It’s the will of the heavens, not me messing around!"

Yu Lian said happily.

Wang Ping remained in a pleasant mood. He didn’t rush back to his seclusion chamber, but instead waited quietly for a fish to bite.

「A quarter-hour later.」

He hooked a fat freshwater bass. With a flick of her tail, Yu Lian unfolded a mystical Array. Water Spirit Qi emerged, wrapped around the bass, freed it from the hook, and then she swallowed it in one gulp. In an instant, it was completely digested by the Spirit Vein within her body.

Wang Ping stood up, packed away his fishing rod and bait, and glanced at two nearby Little Demons who were eyeing them covetously. As he brought out the Pocket World Mirror, Yu Lian flicked her serpentine tongue at the two Little Demons. Before being taken away by the Transfer Talisman within the Pocket World Mirror, she cast a basic Ice Cone Technique, silently finishing them off.

She couldn’t tolerate two weaklings who had just taken form staring at her with killing intent.

After teleporting back to the underground cavern of his Mountain Peak Dojo, Wang Ping didn’t blame Yu Lian. Although Heaven has a virtue of cherishing life, there is also cause and effect. The weak should tread every step with caution and let go of their greedy desires.

"I’m entering meditation!"

Wang Ping said softly, activating the cavern’s Array. He then sat cross-legged on the cloud bed and, as usual, sent out his Primordial Spirit to cultivate.

The first attempt ended quickly.

Wang Ping opened his eyes. His aura lacked the cold rationality it usually had after communing with the Heaven-Reaching Talisman. At this moment, he seemed to have achieved a perfect balance between reason and humanity.

The next moment, the Spirit Communication Talisman, Luck-Borrowing Talisman, and Heaven-Reaching Talisman emerged from within his Primordial Spirit. The three Talismans circled around his Primordial Spirit and his physical Spirit Body.

Wang Ping looked up at the sky, his gaze piercing through the entirety of Qianmu Mountain above him to the dark, silent heavens. He saw countless fine lines merging with his Primordial Spirit Consciousness, giving birth to a perception of the fundamental laws of heaven and earth within his mind.

On the glowing screen, the fusion progress of the Heaven-Reaching Talisman had reached (100/100). He had successfully cultivated the Heaven-Reaching Talisman to completion!

There were no earth-shattering phenomena; it was a natural, inevitable success.

Wang Ping felt this moment was incredibly profound. It was as if he understood the mysteries of heaven and earth, yet there was still an impenetrable barrier preventing him from peering at the truth.

If Wang Ping hadn’t possessed such a full sense of humanity at this moment, he might not have even perceived that barrier. He would have undoubtedly tried with all his might to peer at the truth behind the mysteries of heaven and earth, which could have led to a terrible outcome.

But rationality was equally important. For instance, his rational instincts were telling him not to waste such a golden opportunity. And so, he decisively brought forth the pagoda tree consciousness from within his Primordial Spirit and used his Primordial Spirit to perform an energy-gathering Spell.

He would use his current state to condense a Divine Soul Guide and complete a Primordial Spirit casting!

The instant the Primordial Spirit Magic Hand Technique formed, the runes of the Wood Spirit Array flashed across the luminous screen inherent to its surface. Then, with him at the center, all the spiritual nature from both the heavens and the earth converged around his Primordial Spirit.

In no more than a quarter of an hour, a Divine Soul Guide had taken shape. He immediately stored it in a Sealing Crystal he had prepared long ago, then instantly drew upon the surrounding Spiritual Energy to activate the Spirit Communication Talisman!

Two breaths later, he had actually succeeded...